Jon Smith was football's first super-agent – now he is offering fans the chance to stake their claim in the Premier League's £1billion-a-year transfer market.

Smith, who represented superstars like Diego Maradona and Ruud Guillit during a 25-year career that even saw the England team join his company First Artist, is setting up a revolutionary new sports management agency.

This time, supporters can invest in his expertise – and share the profits.

Smith is confident that an industry which saw agents bank more than £2.5billion from transfers between 2013 and 2017 will continue to prosper as TV revenues and commercial opportunities expand

And his new company, 'The Fans Agency', will give supporters a vehicle to get involved at the business end of the market.

Part of the plan is for some profits to be diverted to support grassroots football projects, meaning cash from transfers will be used to help nurture stars of the future.

Smith said: “I have lost count of the number of fans I have spoken to in recent years who have asked why grassroots football in this country is in such a bad way when the game has never had it so good financially.

“My view has always been that there are some fine agents out there who provide a first-class service to the players and clubs they represent.

“Those people really do earn their money.

“But I couldn't help but agree when it was suggested to me that some of the money being generated by the transfer market should be being put to a more productive use.

“And that is when I came up with the idea of The Fans Agency.

Ronaldo is part of a £1b per year business (Image: Juventus/Instagram)

“Supporters are the bedrock of the game. They make a huge emotional investment in football and I thought it was about time they were allowed to make a financial investment as well.

“They can already invest in clubs. Now they can invest in the transfer market.

“It is an area of football that has enjoyed continued growth for over 100 years – and that isn't going to change anytime soon with TV deals and other commercial revenues only going to get bigger.

“More money means bigger transfer fees and wages. It means agents will make even more money.

“So why not get the fans involved? Why can't we develop a company that is transparent and will make money both for investors and grassroots football?”

Ruud Gullit was one of Smith's clients (Image: Getty)

Premier League clubs alone spent in excess of £220million last year on agents' fees.

Smith's proposal is to launch a company that will handle transfer and contract negotiations as well as other commercial, media, legal and career development opportunities.

He is selling off a 25 percent stake of the agency, with investors able to buy in for as little as a £10.

More than £180,000 of the £500,000 equity target has already been raised with plans to open offices in London and Manchester well advanced.

Smith insists that he wants shareholders to be much more than silent partners.

Diego Maradona was represented by Smith (Image: DPA)

He said: “Investors will be encouraged to identify and recommend talent to the company and the experts we will employ will then look at those players to see if they have the potential we are looking for.

“It's not a case of telling us that Barcelona have got a decent player called Lionel Messi.

“The key is to identify talent that is under the radar. Someone might spot a player in the lower divisions or even the Sunday League that has genuine potential.

“The aim is to give fans a voice – and to make some money along the way.

“I accept that the top six or eight agents in the game are well entrenched, but this a serious project and we have already got some really talented individuals onboard.”

For more information on The Fans Agency visit https://thefans.agency/ and https://www.crowdcube.com/companies/the-fans-agency/pitches/lOPAKZ